Breech-loading fire-arm



v D. 'KIRKWOOD. Breech Loading Fire Arm.

(N0 Model.)

Patented Oct. 12,1880.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID KIRKWOOD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 233,256, dated October 12, 1880.

Application filed June 18, 1880. (N0 model.)

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID KIRKWOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have'invented an Improvement in Cartridge-Shell Ejectors for Breech-Loading Fire-Arms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a portion of a breech-loading shot-gun having my improved cartridge-shell ejector applied thereto, the breech being closed. Fig. 2 is a similar section with the parts in a different position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ejector and its operative mechanism. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the rear ends of the barrels with the ejector applied'thereto.

The ordinary cartridge-shell extractor for breech-loadin g shot-guns is operated positively by the movement of the barrels, and only partially forces out the shell from its chamber, after which it requires to be removed by the hand, the latter operation consuming valuable time, which it is of great importance to save where rapidity of shooting is a desideratum.

My invention has for its object to overcome this difficulty, and enable the shell to be thrown entirely out of its chamber by the ejector itself without the aid of the hand, the separate movement of which to remove the shell is thus dispensed with; and to this end myinvention consists in an ejector operating on guides or stems moving in lines parallel to the axis of the barrel, combined with a mechanism for giving it an accelerating movement outward, as hereinafter more specifically set forth and claimed.

In the said drawings, A represents the breech-piece of a shot-gun, to which the barrels B are pivoted at a in a well-known manner,in order that their rear ends may be swung up out of their firing position to receive the cartridges, and on the under side of the barrels are the usual lugs or projections 11 c, which fit into corresponding slots in thebreech-piece A. D is the cartridge-shell ejector, the faceplate 10 of which fits, as usual, into arecess at the rear ends of the barrels, and is provided with a rod or shank, (1, adapted to slide longitudinally in an opening beneath the barrels made to receive it.

f is a pin, which projects up from the breechpiece A, near the joint-pin a, in such a position that as the rear ends of the barrels are thrown up it is brought, as usual, into contact with the end 12 of the shank or rod 61 of the ejector, which is thus, by the first part of the movement of the barrels, forced outward with a positive motion, which serves to start or loosen and partially withdraw the empty shell 0, and as the shank or rod 01 continues to move outward an inclined shoulder or projection, 15, on its side is brought into a position to be acted upon by the end 16 of a short lever, g,against which rests a powerful spring, h, the force of which is thus broughtwto bear upon the ejector, by which means a sudden outward movement or impulse is given thereto, which causes it to instantly eject or throw out the shell entirely clear of the barrel as soon as the rear end of the latter is sufficiently elevated to allow the shell to clear the face of the breechpiece, this ejection of the shell being thus accomplished without any assistance whatever from the hand, which is a very important advantage wherever extreme rapidity of firing is required.

When the ejector is forced back to its normal position, as seen in Fig. 1, the end 16 of the lever g rests against the under side of the rod 01, which produces the maximum tension on the spring h.

If a spring were relied upon solely to operate the ejector, so as to start and throw out the cartridge-shell clear of the barrel, one of sufficient power would be required to overcome with certainty, under all circumstances, the resistance produced by the sticking or fric tion of an exploded shell within its chamber, and a spring of such power would seriously interfere with the closing of the gun; whereas, by actuating the ejector primarily with a positive motion, as described, a powerful leverage is first exerted to start and partially dislodge the shell from its chamber, rendering it possible to employ a spring for completing the movement of the ejector and automatically throwing out the shell of much less power than would otherwise be required, and which willl not in any way interferewith the ready closing of the gun. This construction embodies the positive and spring movements of the ejector, producing the desired result in the most perfect and satisfactory manner, and avoids all of the inconvenience and delay experienced in fire-arms of this description where the ordinary extractor is employed.

Instead of the lever or end of the spring acting upon'a shoulder or projection, 15, on the side of the shank or rod d, it may be so constructed and arranged as to act directly upon the end thereof; and, if desired,the ends of the shank cl and the shoulder 15 may be square orroundedinstead of inclined, as shown.

Instead of a flat spring, h, a spiral spring may be employed, if desired, to actuate the shank of the ejector without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I do not claim actuating a cartridge-shell ejector positively by bringing it into contact with a pin or projection during the movement of the barrels; neither do I claim, broadly, operating an ejector by means of a spring, as

my invention only relates to a peculiar combination of the two methods under certain conditions, whereby the desired result is attained in a simple and economical manner.

I am also aware that an accelerating cartridge-extractor is not, broadly, new, such an extractor having heretoforebeen used in rifled arms with a swinging breech-block and rotating extractor. Therefore,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The extractor D, provided with a stem, d, sliding in a line parallel to the axis of the barrel, and having the ofi'set or shoulder 15, in combination with the rocking lever g, spring h, and pin f, all constructed, arranged, and operated as set forth.

Witness myhand this 16th day of June, A.D. 1880.

In presence of-- P. E. TESOHEMAOHER, H. MORTIMER.

DAVID KIRKWOOD. 

